Recycling different types of waste

Garden waste

Garden waste collection suspended over winter

All garden waste collections are suspended until Friday 2, March 2018 inclusive. Collections will resume on Monday, 5 March 2018.

Why is the garden waste collection suspended?

The decision to stop the kerbside collection service during the quietest time of the year for garden waste was made as part of our financial planning process and comes as a result of government funding cuts. Council tax alone doesn’t raise enough to cover all the services the council provides, and so we focus on delivering services that meet the periods of high demand, in this case restricting garden waste collections to during the growing season. During this period up to 80% less garden waste is collected: if we don’t suspend the service then collection vehicles will still visit properties, incurring the associated costs to taxpayers.

During the suspension, garden waste can still be recycled at our recently improved household waste recycling centres (tidy tips). Alternatively, residents with enough space in their gardens are encouraged to compost at home. All Central Bedfordshire residents are eligible for a discount on compost bins and accessories under our scheme to encourage composting.

Garden waste collections

Garden waste is collected fortnightly over the summer months with your recycling on your normal bin collection day. We provide two garden waste sacks (for residents in the north) and a green-lidded wheelie bin (for residents in the south) for their garden waste (PDF 2.3MB) .

What goes in your garden waste bin or bag?

grass cuttings

plants and weeds

flowers

prunings

hedge clippings

leaves and bark

vase plants

pond plants

Please note: All garden waste must be contained within either the wheelie bin or sacks that we provide. Any large branches, trunks and plants should be cut down to fit inside. Garden waste placed in sacks not provided by us will not be collected. There is a 10kg weight limit per sack as continual lifting could pose a hazard to our contractors.

What cannot go in your garden waste bin or bag?

vegetable peelings

kitchen waste

plastic bags

plant pots

polystyrene trays

turf

soil

rubble

animal bedding

pet waste

general household waste

Japanese knotweed

If you have Japanese knotweed in your garden, it is your duty to control it and prevent it spreading to neighbouring properties. It is a controlled waste and therefore should be treated and disposed of in accordance with the Environmental Protection Act 1990. For more information about the plant, please contact the Environment Agency (link opens in new window).